Our Rest

Have you ever been in a spot where you needed an exit strategy - a kind-and-gentle way out? Feelings of frustration can and do overwhelm us at times; the only logical resolution sometimes seems to [as the old wild west saying goes] "get out of Dodge." It's safe to conclude this as David's predicament in Psalm 11: "For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart." (Verse 1 NIV). Even in the smoothest of waters, none of us really know how close to calamity and chaos we really are. Right now, I'm sitting in a quiet place listening to peaceful piano music but [honestly] I'm not feeling the peace I should - the confidence David then speaks of: "The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; His eyes examine them. The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence He hates with a passion." (Verses 4-5 NIV). You see, the enemy isn't actually a person or a place or a thing; no, the enemy is the fear and doubt of the soul, the failure to rest altogether and completely in these truths: "The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!" (Psalm 99:1 ESV) ... "The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as King forever." (Psalm 29:10 ESV) ... "The LORD sits enthroned forever; He has established His throne for justice." (Psalm 9:7 ESV) ... "God sits on His holy throne." (Psalm 47:8 ESV). He is God over all things - yes, even those times when we want an exit, to run and flee "like a bird" (Psalm 11:1). David finishes this psalm, "the LORD is righteous - He loves justice - the upright will see His face" (Verse 7). If we are to live by faith and not by sight (Romans 1:17), we put all thoughts of running aside and trust The One Who remains on His throne and King over all all things. He is ... our rest.

Disciplined Obedience

We all enjoy an occasional change of scenery - perhaps an alternate porch view or simply a different route home. In our spiritual lives, we often need a change of view! For those of us who have known Jesus for the majority of our lives, our view of obedience to Christ may have diminished over time. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10: "We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ." (Verse 5 AMP). Real disciplined obedience to Christ is much more than simply doing this-or-that in service to Him. Jesus Himself modeled disciplined obedience, and He said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner." (John 5:19 NASB). How easily we forget as followers of Jesus we are "not only committed to Jesus Christ for salvation, but also committed, responsible, and accountable to Jesus Christ's view of God, the world, and of sin and the devil." (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest). Seeing all things as God sees them then humbly allowing Him to counsel and guide us into humble and joyful obedience - yes, that is ... disciplined obedience.

Be in Him

This morning as I walked past the rose bushes planted outside our house, I notice something unsightly. Growing out of the same rich soil producing lovely aromatic roses was a full-grown and healthy thorn bush! Thinking to myself, that must go, I hesitated; because of its size, I realized to remove it would be no small task. Let me suggest in every Believer's life, the danger of neglect is overlooked and understated. Scripture teaches a key principle: it is our own selfish desires that give birth to sin (James 1:14). The fruit of the Believer's life - or lack of it - is based solely on how well we are connected and abiding in The Right Source. Jesus said, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me." (John 15:4 ESV). Yes, both the thorn and the rose bush appeared healthy yet it was only one that had blooms and a sweet aroma. As followers of Jesus, we are commanded to "put to death what is earthly in you" (Colossians 3:5 ESV) - mortify, kill, destroy that sin that leads to unsightliness in us. We must not neglect this! Charles Spurgeon writes, "O Christian, prize this precious union to Christ; for it must be the source of all the fruitfulness which thou canst hope to know. If thou wert not joined to Jesus Christ, thou wouldst be a barren bough indeed." (Morning by Morning). Let us never neglect to abide in Jesus Christ - daily and continually in His Word and in sweet communion with Him - allowing Him to nourish and prune us to be that sweet smelling aroma unto God ... be in Him.

Flow Freely

A fond childhood memory is being with my grandfather (Pop) when he pulled his old green Plymouth off the road where a natural spring of water was pouring out from the side of a hill. I'd never seen such a thing! We both took a small sip of that cool fresh water. Perhaps you recall Jesus' intentional journey through Samaria when He encountered a woman at a local well; He then said to her, "Give Me a drink" (John 4:7). During their conversation, Jesus said to the woman: "Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14 ESV). How sad so often in our spiritual lives we experience times of spiritual dryness and stagnation. Be certain of this: the problem is never with The Source of that promised "spring of water." Later in John 7:38, Jesus said: "Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." The calling for all those who have believed - the redeemed, born-again, saved - is to be like that fresh water stream pouring out of the hillside - ever flowing, refreshing to those whom God sends into our days. I propose we are not called to let the love of Christ just trickle but to gush-forth with vibrant energy and life generously supplied by The Source - as Jesus is at work within us. Many of us live in rural areas where the water must be pumped out of the ground (thank God for those pumps!) The "living water" given to those in Christ Jesus does not depend on a pump; rather, His flow in and through us will be unhindered, unobstructed - yes, Christ will ... flow freely.

Mighty River

Have you ever noticed how a river widens and narrows, sometimes disappearing only to reappear yet always steadily flowing? In John 7:38 (NASB), Jesus said: "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" How easy it is to believe that the days-of-our-lives and the flow of our lives are of our own making. Then something unexpectedly and unforeseen happens that shakes us from such foolish thoughts! The root of such a foolish view of our lives is forgetting The Source of the "rivers of living water" - Jesus Christ. Oswald Chambers writes, "We have nothing to do with the outflow" ... it is the work of God, that you believe in Him Whom He has sent" (John 6:29 NASB). That "victoriously persistent" river overcomes barriers, twisting and turning around things that threaten to hinder and destroy its flow. This is Christ at-work in us: He strengthens and sustains and empowers us in and through all days-of-our-lives, magnifying Himself in us into a world of darkness in need of The Great Light. The one question is ever before us: as those who "believe" in Jesus, are we focused and abiding in The Source of the Living Water within us? He is the eternal and all-powerful ... Mighty River.